Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Services

Tribal Scholarships

The NMSU Financial Aid Office (FAO) processes your Tribal Information Sheet for a tribal scholarship. If you are affiliated with a Native American tribe, contact your Tribal Scholarship Office to learn about the application process. Several tribes require copies of your letter of admission, official academic transcript, and some form of documentation regarding tribal affiliation. You must work with your individual tribal agency to ensure all required paperwork is submitted. Ultimately, the tribal office requests a Tribal Needs Analysis from the Financial Aid Office. Before the FAO completes the form, the following process must occur (if you've already done this process, please disregard):

First, complete the current Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) and mail it for processing in the provided envelope. FAFSAs are available from the Financial Aid Office, or you may fill out the FAFSA on the Web.

Step1:	Within four to six weeks, you receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) detailing the results of your application. Keep a copy for your records and forward the original to the FAO.
Step2:	The FAO requests additional documentation to verify your file. Submit this documentation as quickly as possible to complete your file.
Step3:	Once your file is completed and reviewed by your FA advisor, the FAO awards grant and work study funds to eligible students. You are not considered for Perkins or Stafford loans until the FAO receives official notification from the tribe detailing approval or denial of a tribal scholarship. If you are denied a tribal scholarship and are interested in a student loan, make an appointment to visit your financial aid advisor and *bring a copy of the tribal scholarship denial letter* to the appointment.**
Step4:	Please be aware that along with filing for federal financial aid, you must also provide your tribal agency with the necessary documents needed for tribal scholarship applications.
Step5:	Once the above procedures occur, the FAO forwards your Tribal Needs Analysis Form to your tribal office.

Please remember that the FAO is very interested in assisting you in the process but the primary responsibility rests in your hands. The sooner you apply (each year) and complete your file, the sooner the FAO mails your needs analysis. Most tribal offices will not accept estimated needs analyses. Therefore, it is extremely important that you complete your financial aid file early so that the FAO, in turn, sends a completed and final needs analysis on your behalf. At NMSU, Marlene Melendez, financial aid advisor, processes the tribal needs analyses. You should work with your respective financial aid advisor to complete your file but, should you require specific attention regarding your Tribal Scholarship, please make an appointment to visit with Marlene.